Deathtrap

October 30, 2001 to November 3, 2001

By Ira Levin

Directed by Chris Nixon

A hugely popular stage and screen success, this ingeniously constructed play offers a rare and skillful blending of two priceless theatrical ingredients -- gasp-inducing thrills and spontaneous laughter. Unknown dramatist Clifford Anderson has sent his new thriller to award-winning author Sidney for comment -- or has he? Without a success to his credit for some years, Sidney plots with his reluctant wife Myra about how best to plagiarise 'Deathtrap' and when Clifford turns up to discuss the play with the 'Master' events take a sinister turn.

One set and five characters, the main ingredients of a best-selling thriller. Says who? Sidney Bruhl, one-time successful playwright, but now reduced to living of his wife, Myra's, money.

Unexpectedly a script arrives through the mail, from one of Bruhl's admirers, and it has all the hallmarks of being a blockbuster.

Could our dramatist pass it off as his own? He could if there were no trace of it's origin, but surely that would mean eradicating said writer?

But wait, what if all were not as it seems?

DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH, Wednesday, October 31st, 2001

More than this I cannot tell, because it would spoil your enjoyment of the Marlowe Players' latest production, Deathtrap.

Gordon Gell plays Sidney, the frustrated writer switching between sinister and caring at the drop of a typewriter key. Sue Orme is his emotional wife and Steve Coley is the writer of the mailed manuscript, Clifford Anderson.

On a beautifully designed set, and with just the right amount of atmospheric music, director Chris Nixon manages to wrongfoot his audience more than once in his staging and the performances he achieves.

You will be scared, you will laugh and just when you think you know how the play will end, you will be surprised.

Andrea White as the neighbour with ESP threatens to steal the show with her comic turn, and Mike Asprey completes the talented quintet as Porter Milgrim.

The production is dedicated to the president and founder member of the Marlowes, Vida Ayres, who sadly passed away last week, aged 82.

Deathtrap is a fitting epitaph to someone who did so much for the amateur theatre in Derby. Vida would be pleased, and you will too.